Lolong’s Death Is a Warning: End Captivity

Posted on 24 April 2013 at 7:17AM
by
Ashley Fruno

What do we all want out of life? Happiness? Comfort? Freedom? Swimming the lush marshlands of an area sanctioned as a crocodile reserve in the southern Philippines, Lolong, one of the world’s largest crocodiles, had all those things until 18 months before his death, when he was hunted down, captured, and condemned to live in a tiny barren pen. After his death, a necropsy found that Lolong had died from late-stage pneumonia, cardiac failure, multiple organ failure, and non-adaptive stress response—all of which can be attributed to his captivity. PETA has learned that the government of Bunawan—the city where Lolong was held captive—now plans to capture another large crocodile.

In the wild, crocodiles spend hours swimming and can regulate their buoyancy and temperature. Lolong lived for 18 months in a concrete pen that had only a shallow pond. He was denied access to water deep enough to submerge himself or float in, both of which are essential to the well-being of crocodiles. He was also continuously exposed to the sun during the daytime. His inability to float in the shallow pond, combined with the constant pressure of the concrete floor on his underside and constant exposure to the sun, left him unable to thermo-regulate himself. The necropsy reads, “Thermo-regulation is the most important behavioural adaptation of reptiles, and should have been provided as an integral part of the animal’s management.”

PETA is urging the government of Bunawan to set up tours for visitors to see crocodiles in their natural habitat instead of capturing more crocodiles and condemning them to a miserable death. Lolong is just one of the millions of animals who have suffered and died in captivity. You can help by never patronizing animal parks and zoos. Don’t use your money to support the capture, imprisonment, trading, and killing of more animals. Support cruelty-free parks and tourism instead.

Please take a moment to write to the mayor of Bunawan and ask him not to allow more animals to be captured:

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